Friday, September 30, 2011

Security Council meets to discuss UN statehood bid

A Palestinian woman attends a rally to show solidarity for a Palestinian state
with full UN membership as Israeli security stands nearby at the Qalandia Israeli
checkpoint near the West Bank town of Ramallah (Reuters/Ammar Awad)

UNITED NATIONS (Ma'an) -- The UN Security Council's admissions committee held its first meeting Friday to review and assess the PLO's application for full UN membership.

The standing committee on the admission of new members to the world body is comprised of all 15 Security Council members, who are being represented by their UN ambassadors.

The council first discussed the situation in Somalia before recessing ahead of talks about the Palestine statehood application.

On Thursday, the foreign minister in the West Bank government said that eight Security Council members were guaranteed to vote in favor of the bid for full membership of the United Nations.

“The Palestinian Authority is now working to secure the ninth vote,” Riyad al-Malki told Voice of Palestine radio, adding that the PA will seek either Colombia or Bosnia-Herzegovina's vote.

The eight countries set to vote in favor of the UN bid are Russia, China, India, South Africa, Brazil, Lebanon, Nigeria and Gabon, al-Malki was quoted as saying by official PA news agency WAFA.